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Low number of entries

[[A couple of days left before it begins so it will be good to have another thread.]]

Has anyone noticed? And it continues to shrink. One the day the first list was released there was 90+ entries, now it's down to 85.

Concerned of the low numbers or pleased that it will mean higher quality skating? Happy that every participant can now skate both programs as well as enjoy more prize money or do you think the audience is being short changed? What are your thoughts?

I think it is because a lot of top skaters don't take 4CC as seriously as Europeans take the Euros. They'd rather focus on the coming Worlds.
Another reason is not many countries have people practicing this sport (probably because of the cost of training and lack of coaches). Simply look at the pairs entry, it is narrowly concentrated on a few countries. Even in the singles, many non-US competitors were born and trained in the US, and never made to the US nationals. However, they can represent the country their parents are from. This simple fact actually turned me down: having so many less qualified skaters in an international competition. Definitely more countries need to promote figure skating as a competitive sports in the Asian Pacific region.

It is very easy for European skaters to travel to compete at the Euros whereas 4CC involve trans Pacific jetting for many. Some top skaters would rather conserve themselves and focus on the Worlds Championships coming up soon after.